Shoe-tree.



. J. s. HANSEN.-

SHOE TREE.

APPLICATION FILED 00129, 1909.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

VWT/VES'SESL COLUMBIA PLANDORAPH CO., wAsHlNa'roN. n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN 's. or BRocK roN, MAssAoHusn'r'rs, AssIeNoB. r 0. A. MILLER TREE-ING MACHINE COMPANY, oF roRTLANn, MAINE, A CORPORATION oF AINE.

SHOE-TREE.

, tain Improvements in Shoe-Trees, of which the following description,in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likereference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in theseveral figures.

This invention relates to improvements in shoe-trees, and similardevices.

An object of the invention is to produce a shoe-tree with an improvedform of adjusting device to adapt it to different sizes and styles ofshoes, and which will be simple and durable in construction, inexpensiveto manufacture, and easy 'of adjustment in the shoe.

With this and other objects in view, a feature of the invention consistsin the provision, in connection with the fore part and the heel part ofa shoe tree, of a member connected with each of said parts, and aconnection between the members arranged to permit relative pivotalmovements of the members to thereby form a toggle, and to permit slidingmovements thereof to adjust the tree for different sizes of shoes,together with means independent of such connection for holding themembers in adjusted position.

Other features of the invention, including improved details ofconstruction and combinations of parts, will be hereinafter moreparticularly described and claimed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 shows, in side elevation, a shoe-treeembodying my invention in position in a shoe, the shoe being shown insection, and the position of the parts of the tree during its insertionand removal appearing in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a detail view, inperspective, illustrating the adjusting device on a slightly enlargedscale.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention the numeral 1 indicatesthe fore part which may be constructed of wood, metal, or any othersuitable substance. The rear portion of the fore part may, as shown, beprovided with avertical kerf to receive one end of a toggle lever 3,which is, preferably, pivotally connected with the fore part by a pin 2,the lever being provided Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912;

Application filed October 29, 1909. Serial No. 525,358.

upon one of its edges with a series of recesses, 5, and having betweenits upper and ,lower edges a slot 1.

The heel part, 11, of the tree may be conveniently formed of rounded, orellipsoidal form, as shown, and connected therewith'is an arm, 9, whichis pivoted to a slide 7, by a pinlO, or other suitable means. As hereinshown, the slide 7 is in the form of a casing, having two sides and abottom portion, one of its sides being preferably extended and then bentlaterally to constitute a finger-hold, or handle member, 17, tofacilitate the insertion of the shoe-tree in a shoe, and also itsremoval therefrom.

The forward end of the arm 9 and the rear portion of the lever 3, arereceived between the side walls of the. slide 7, the end portions of thearm and lever being arranged side'by side, and the pin 10, whichconnects the arm pivotally with the slide, also passes through the slot4 of the lever and thereby serves to pivotally connect the arm and leverso that said parts constitute a toggle. The'p'in also acts, in con-.junction with the walls ofthe slide, to hold the slide and levertogether and to guide these parts relatively to each other as they aremoved longitudinally in opposite directions to adjust the length of theshoe tree for different sizes of shoes. A pawl, 15, is

. located between the sides of the slide 7, immediately over and inposition to'engage the recesses 5, and is pivotally connected with theslide by a pin 18, which passes through said sides and the pawl. Thelower or bottom wall of the slide is cut away to form a shoulder, 14,and the lower edge of the rear portion of the arm 9 is notched to form ashoulder, 13, which shoulders are arranged to engage when the togglelever 3 and arm 9 are raised to the position shown by dotted lines inFig. 1, and thereby serve to limit the extent of movement of these partswhen the toggle is broken. Preferably, a spring, 16, is coiled about apin or stud within the slide 7, and has bearing at one of its endsagainst the handle of the pawl 15, and at its other end against a wallof the slide, in order to yieldingly hold the pawl in engagement withany one of the recesses 5.

In order to adjust the tree, the toggle is first broken, and the nearend of the pawl is engaged by the thumb or finger, and pressed to raisethe tooth of the pawl out of any one of the recesses which it mayoccupy. The slide is then moved along the lever 3 to the proper pointthereon where it is to be located, and the pawl then released and itstooth permitted to enter another one of the recesses. The toggle maythen be straightened to separate the fore and heel parts of the tree andforce them against the toe and heel parts of the shoe, into the positionshown in full lines in Fig. 1.

While these improvements are shown and described as embodied in a shoetree, or form, it will be obvious that they may be applied as well to alast, if desired, and the invention is not limited to the details ofconstruction shown and described herein, other than as defined by theterms of the claims hereto annexed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of United States is 1. A shoe-tree having, incombination, afore part and a heel part, a member connected with each ofsaid parts, means comprising a slot in one member and a pin in the othermember to constitute a pivotal and adjustable connection of saidmembers, and means additional to such connection to hold the parts inadjusted position while permitting the free pivotal movement of theparts through said connection.

2. A shoe-tree having, in combination, a fore part and a heel part, alever pivotally connected wit-h one of said parts and provided withexternal recesses and a slot, a slide arranged for adjustment along thelever and carrying a pawl to engage said recesses, an arm connected withthe other of said parts, and pivotal means for connecting said arm andslide and arranged to pass through the slot in said lever.

3. A shoe-tree having, in combination, a fore part and heel part, alever pivotally connected with one of said parts, a slide arranged :tormovement along the lever and provided with means to secure it indifierent positions of adjustment thereon, an arm hav ing one endconnected with the other of said parts and its other end pivoted to saidslide, said lever and arm being arranged to form a toggle connection,and cooperating means on the slide and arm constructed and arranged formutual engagement to limit the movement of said parts when the toggle isbroken.

4. A shoe tree, having in combination, a forepart, a heel part, an armprojecting from one of said parts, a lever pivoted to the other part,said lever having a slot formed therethrough and a series of teeth orrecesses formed in one edge thereof, a slide having two sides and abottom, one of said sides being extended and bent over to form a handle,a pin extending through the sides of the slide, the slot in said leverand the arm to pivotally connect the lever and arm, a pawl pivotedwithin said slide and a spring acting upon said pawl to hold it normallyin position to engage the teeth on the lever.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN S. HANSEN.

Witnesses BERNARD BARROWS, ALLAN H. BARROWS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

